The Monster Airplane the US had Never Seen Before

In 1967, during one of the tensest periods of the Cold War, a United States satellite hovered over the Soviet naval base of Kaspiysk. Flying over the Caspian Sea, the imagery systems suddenly captured images of a giant object that appeared to be over 325 feet long.

The CIA initially thought the object was some sort of rig or platform. However, further surveillance by U-2 spy planes determined that it was actually an aircraft unlike anything ever seen in the West.

Dubbed the Caspian Sea Monster by the Americans, the Soviet aircraft was indeed an unlikely beast.

A prototype of an ekranoplan, the hybrid vessel and aircraft vehicle was designed to fly as fast and close to the sea surface as possible. And despite its length and estimated 500,000-pound weight, it proved to be highly effective.

During initial testing, the behemoth aircraft was reportedly capable of reaching speeds of over 400 miles an hour.

Despite not knowing exactly what the aircraft was, the design ignited a sense of panic among the Americans, prompting the CIA to launch a secretive CIA drone program...

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Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.

As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.

All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.